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Whether or not you’re a seasoned camper or just starting out, these campsite tips for RV beginners will help you get off on the right foot with your campsite neighbors and mother nature.

Be Aware of your Volume

It’s a good idea to make sure your TV, radio, and pets can’t be heard beyond the confines of your campsite. Other campers are there to enjoy nature too and you want to make sure you’re not contributing to noise pollution. Enjoy that ball game, let the kids run around wild- just be mindful of how close your fellow campers are camping and estimate how much of their noises you’d like to hear if the situations were reversed.

Pick up after your Pet

Did you bring Fido along? Great! Family pets can make wonderful traveling companions, but it’s easy to get carried away with the excitement of setting up and maintaining camp, and letting them roam to do their own business. However, if you think your pet might have actually done some “business” in the surrounding communal areas, do your neighbors a favor and go pick it up. They’ll appreciate the courtesy. This is especially important at night, when others might be foraging in the darkness for a restroom.

Lights and Decor

Decorating your campsite can be really fun- lights and other personal touches can make the Great Outdoors even greater- just remember to be considerate of those around you. You never know who came to party and who simply came to stargaze, so at the end of the day, when the sun is going down, unplug and let the natural beauty of the night sky be the focus.

Say Hello to the RV Community

Most folks within the RV community are just like you- they love getting outdoors, communing with nature, and having fun with their friends. They’re often friendly and approachable- there’s no Elitist Classism here- if you show up in an RV, you’re already part of the family. You’ve bought your ticket into a wonderful world of camaraderie and solidarity. So don’t worry about going over and introducing yourself to any neighbors you may have- odds are they’ll be glad you came by, and if you’re lucky, there’ll be an extra s’more waiting for you. For your end of the deal, consider packing a few extra goodies for your new friends. Sharing a meal or some badminton racquets can earn you major brownie points in your new “neighborhood.”

Common Sense

Basically, it’s easy to make connections out there with all the fun people who camp in RV’s, but if you really want to be a good neighbor, it’s as easy as that! Just be a good neighbor in a more condensed version of how you already are when you’re at home. Common sense and The Golden Rule go a long way out there on the open road. And having extra s’mores never hurts, either.

What’s Available?

If you’re not familiar with the various types of RVs available out there, GoRVing.comis a great place to start. Here’s a quick overview of the main categories:

Pop Up Trailers

These little guys are lightweight, easy to tow and maneuver. They are quite affordable, uncomplicated and provide camping enthusiasts who are taking their first steps up from camping in tents a further glimpse in to comfort campling. These units range from 8 to 24 feet in length, and a new one tends to cost $6,000 to $22,000.

Travel Trailers

Travel trailers are conventional tow-behind trailers, and smaller models can be easily towed behind the family vehicle. Some versions feature pop-out or slide-out sections to maximize living spaces. Just be sure to match the RV’s loaded weight to the tow capacity of your vehicle. If you are not sure or need help with towing requirements companies like American RV and Marine can guide you. These campers from 19 to 30 feet in length, and a new one will cost from $10,000 to $30,000.

Truck Campers

A truck camper sits in the bed or on the chassis of a pickup truck, and believe it or not, they are available in many sizes, with a variety of floorplans, and sometimes even with slide-outs. This option allows you to access rougher areas into which you could not tow a trailer; plus, as with towable trailers, you can detach the camper and use your vehicle independently. Truck campers range from 8 to 20 feet in length, and a new camper will cost from $6,000 to $55,000.

Fifth-Wheel Travel Trailers

“Fifth-wheels” have essentially the same amenities as a conventional trailer, but their tow vehicle must be a pickup truck with a fifth-wheel hitch on its bed. This design gives them a bi-level floor plan, which is more spacious than that of a conventional tow-behind. According toRV-Dreams.com, fifth-wheels are less susceptible to jack-knifing or fish-tailing than conventional trailers; the drawbacks involve more heavy-duty tow vehicles and greater expense. These campers range from 21 to 40 feet, and a new one will cost from $18,000 to $160,000.

Sport Utility RV

Affectionately known as “toy haulers,” sport utility RVs feature all the live-on-board amenities you need — plus space to carry motorcycles, dirt bikes, ATVs and any other toys you’d like to have along for the trip. These can be towable trailers or motorhomes; in either case, the RV’s rear end drops down to form a ramp, providing access to the storage garage. These campers range from 19 to 39 feet, and a new one will cost from $10,300 to $170,000.

Motorhomes

Motorized RVs, or motorhomes, are RVs with living accommodations built on motorized chassis. In other words, you don’t tow or carry them — you drive them. Type A, or conventional, motorhomes are built entirely on specially designed chassis, range from 21 to 40 feet and cost from $60,000 to more than $500,000. Type Bs are “camper vans”; these range from 16 to 22 feet and cost from $60,000 to $130,000. And Type Cs are built on a van frame, with a wide body attached to the cab. These range from 21 to 35 feet and cost from $43,000 to more than $200,000. One important aspect to remember with a motorhome: this is your transportation as well as your home. Unless you want to move your home every time you need to go to the grocery store, you’ll want to consider towing a small car for tootling around town and sightseeing. For help with the best towing selection you can schedule a consultation with companies like American RV and Marine.

What Are My Lifestyle Considerations?

To determine which RV type will suit you, consider your needs:

What is your overall budget?

If you prefer a towable trailer or a truck camper, do you have a vehicle that can do the job? If not, you’ll be looking at a new vehicle and a new RV.

Do you want to tow any toys, like a boat or a set of ATVs? If so, you can’t use a travel trailer, and a fifth-wheel may not be practical. You’ll want to consider truck campers or motorhomes.

Is this going to be for a couple, or for a family with children? How many people, realistically, will be using the RV on a regular basis? And how many pets? Your love for your RV may wane after too many nights of feeling piled on top of each other; conversely, you don’t want more space than you need if the teenagers don’t want to spend every weekend with their parents.

How will you use the RV? If you’re planning for extended live-aboard trips, you’ll want more space, more storage and more amenities. If you’re going to use the RV for day trips, weekends and camping vacations, you can go smaller and more specialized.

Is your RV intended for summer or year-round use? For example, if most of your camping will be done at high altitude, or if you plan to use the camper during the shoulder seasons or even the winter, eliminate folding camping trailers and even travel trailers with pop-outs. They’ll be too cold. You’ll want a fully hard-sided RV with a reliable heater.

Where will you be doing most of your camping? If you like campgrounds, think about the size of RV your favorite spots can accommodate. If you prefer the backcountry, a truck camper will give you access to the hard-to-reach places; in addition, many travel trailers are available with off-road packages that offer features such as a raised axle and larger, all-terrain tires.

The RV Buyers Guide has a helpful worksheet to walk you through the process of identifying your specific needs. Additional advice can be found at RVs.com. If you’re thinking of full-time RV living, check out RV-Dreams.com — which has some great budget and financial tracking resources — andTheFunTimesGuide.com. The latter site also offers a good discussionregarding the choice between a trailer and a motorhome.

Going to RV shows is another great idea. You can climb aboard as many different models as you like, and dealer and manufacturer representatives will be on hand to answer questions. Check out show listings through the RV Buyers Guide, the RV Industry Association and GoRVing.com.

RV Insurance Specialty Coverage: Total Loss Replacement

This is a must have RV coverage. Did you know most sources estimate RV's lose 30% of their MSRP value right off the lot! Here is the typical depreciation schedule you will find via various online sources:

"DEPRECIATION - Starting with MSRP the depreciation is 30% driving it off the lot, another 10% at the end of the first year, and 6% for each year following. We all know that no one pays MSRP for a new coach with typical discounts of 15 to 25% depending on the model. So here’s a typical actual depreciation schedule."

Total Loss Replacement vs Actual Cash Value

Without the election of a specialty valuation coverage for your RV such as RV Total Loss Replacement coverage your RV payout will default to Actual Cash Value otherwise known as ACV. ACV, sometimes called Market Value pays the actual cash value of your RV at the time of loss, depreciation and all.

RV Total Loss Replacement coverage varies from underwriter to underwriter but in general terms this coverage will pay for the replacement of your RV with the newest model if your RV is determined to be a total loss within its first five model years. Following the fifth model year the payout would be equivalent to the purchase price of the RV providing the funds are used towards the replacement of the unit, this continues up to the tenth model year thereby essentially doing away with depreciation.

While we hope for the best we are here to make sure you are prepared for the worst. From theft to blowouts to wind storms and "Ooops, I forgot to unhook" we have you covered. Our partnerships with the industry's leading specialty RV underwriters allow us to offer these and many more exclusive programs to ensure you have the coverage you need when it counts. For more information or to add RV Insurance Total Loss Replacement Coverage to your policy call us today toll free 800-507-8467.

As reported by RVbussiness, gasoline prices through the summer could be as much as 4 cents higher than the same time last year, the U.S. Energy Department said.

According to a UPI, the average retail price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline in the United States for Wednesday was $3.63, reports motor club AAA. That price has held steady for nearly a month.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said in its monthly report, published Tuesday (June 10), the summer average is near its expected peak of $3.62 per gallon, which is 4 cents higher year-on-year.

EIA, the statistical arm of the Energy Department, said the retail price for a gallon of gasoline is largely based on the price of crude oil and the difference between that price and the price for wholesale gasoline.

In last week’s report on the U.S. petroleum sector, the administration said refineries were working at 90.8% capacity and gasoline production had declined.

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